By: Luke Lukert
Sunday marked the first Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run since 2019, and with it, a local became champion for the first time since 1983, according to race officials.
Susanna Sullivan of Reston, Virginia, won the elite women’s race on Sunday.
“It’s indescribable, I mean, I dreamed of this and it just kind of came together,” Sullivan told WTOP shortly after crossing the finish line. “I felt great coming into the race, training’s been going well, I run these roads every weekend. Crucial. The conditions were perfect. I had close friends and teammates out on the course. So it was just amazing.”
Her unofficial time clocked in at 52 minutes and 32 seconds, making it a personal record for the long distance athlete who is also a fifth grade teacher at Haycock Elementary School in Fairfax County.
“It’s almost a two-minute PR. And that doesn’t happen when you’re 31,” said Sullivan “I feel like I’ve gotten a lot stronger in the last few years. I think the pandemic gave me time to really focus on not racing and building a really strong base. And they’re just doing more strength stuff. And that’s really helped.” Read more at WTOP.
Photo: WTOP, of Susanna Sullivan of Reston Virginia after she won the Elite Women’s Race at the Cherry Blossom Run on Sunday.
